About the Migration Agency

In Sweden, the Migration Agency is the authority that considers applications from people who want to take up permanent residence in Sweden, come for a visit, seek protection from persecution or become Swedish citizens.

Residence permit for other studies

If you intend to take a course of study in Sweden that is not higher education, you will need a residence permit if the course is longer than three months. This permit must have been granted before leaving for Sweden.

If you are to support yourself with your own funds, you must submit your application at the earliest three months before the date you are applying for a residence permit from. This is because you must be able to show that you can support yourself close to the beginning of the study time and your documents must not be too old. This does not apply if you will receive a scholarship to cover your means of support.

For studies that are shorter than three months, citizens in certain countries must have an entry visa. Special rules apply if you are an EU/EEA citizen or a long-term resident.

Other studies may, for example, be studies at the World Maritime University in Malmö (WMU), supplementary studies for regulated professions and preparatory studies for qualification to higher education.

Exchange studies at an upper-secondary school (high school) also count as other studies, but have their own page for the application.

Resi­dence permit requi­re­ments

be covered by fully-comprehensive health insurance that is valid in Sweden

have enough money to be able to support yourself during the period for which you are applying

have a consent from your parents or custodians if you are under 18 years of age. If so you must also enclose a certificate showing who is or are your parents/custodians and how you are related.

Normally, you cannot be granted a residence permit for studies that require you to be permanently resident in Sweden, such as studies at municipal adult education (Komvux) or Swedish for immigrants (SFI). A residence permit cannot be granted for studies at the compulsory school level.

You can only be granted a residence permit for upper-secondary (high school) studies if an international exchange is involved.

A permit for other studies does not give you the right to work in Sweden.

If you are seeking asylum in Sweden and study at an upper-secon­dary school

If you are seeking asylum in Sweden, or have been granted a temporary residence permit after an asylum application, you can in certain circumstances be granted a residence permit based on upper-secondary studies. Different rules apply to you than to a person not seeking asylum in Sweden, but seeking a residence permit as an upper-secondary exchange student. If you want to read more about residence permits based on upper-secondary studies for someone seeking asylum in Sweden, or if you already have a temporary residence permit that you received after an asylum application, you can find more information under the entrance for Protection and asylum.

Possi­bi­lity for a resi­dence permit longer than a year

You can be granted a residence permit for the period of study, but usually for one year at a time. For some courses that continue for more than a year you can however be granted a residence permit for a longer period, but for a maximum of one year at a time.

Courses where a residence permit can be granted for longer than one year in total:

multi-year vocationally oriented studies

studies at WMU.

You must be able to support your­self

For applications submitted to the Migration Agency during 2019 the support requirement is a minimum of SEK 8,370 per month. For applications submitted to the Migration Agency on 1 January 2020 or later the support requirement is a minimum of SEK 8,514 per month.

If you can prove that you have free accommodation and/or food through the course organizer or an organization working for international exchange, the amount per month can be reduced. For applications submitted during 2019 the monthly amount is reduced by SEK 1,627.50 per month for free food and by SEK 1,627.50 per month for free accommodation. For applications submitted to the Migration Agency on 1 January 2020 or later the monthly amount is reduced by SEK 1,655.50 per month for free food and by SEK 1,655.50 per month for free accommodation.

You must show that you have funds for the period for which you are applying for. You must show that you have your support secured by means of verification of your own bank assets, a scholarship or similar means of support, such as a study grant from your home country.

Your own bank assets are money in an account that belongs to you and from which only you and your husband or wife, if you have one, can withdraw money. If you are under the age of 18, your guardians’ accounts may also apply as a basis for your living expense support. Credit, funds or shares are not counted as your own bank assets.

If you will be receiving a grant or similar, you must enclose a recently prepared document in your name with the details of the monthly or total amount. The document must indicate the period you will be receiving the grant for, and the total amount of money that you will receive to freely use for your living expenses during the study period in Sweden.

How to apply

You can apply for residence permit online. You cannot enter Sweden until the permit has been granted. If you are under the age of 18, your guardian must apply for you.

Before submit­ting your appli­ca­tion

Check that the information given on the documents you enclose is clear. Important details, such as your name, must be given in the documents. The information in the documents should be as recent as possible. The documents should also be translated into Swedish or English by certified translators, if the contents are in another language. Copies of the original document must always be enclosed with translations of documents.

What to enclose with your application

You must enclose

copies of the pages in your passport which show your personal information, photograph, signature, passport number, passport issuing country, the period of the passport's validity and whether you have permission to live in countries other than your country of origin

an admission decision stating that you have been admitted to full-time study

a copy of the document that proves that you have comprehensive health insurance that is valid in Sweden. The insurance must be valid for the whole period that you will stay in Sweden, and must cover the costs for emergency and other medical care, dental care and hospitalization. The insurance must also cover the cost of a possible return journey home because of medical reasons

a bank statement showing that you have funds to support yourself. This bank statement should be dated in connection with the time of application and be translated into English, or

documents issued in your name to verify that you have been granted a scholarship or equivalent (e.g. student financial support) with details of the monthly or total amount payable and the period during which you will receive the money

a certificate to the effect that, after your preparatory course, you will be formally authorised to take the subsequent course of higher education (applies if you intend to study on a preparatory training course in order to obtain certification for a course of higher education)

a completed questionnaire (Appendix for application for residence permit for students and doctoral students. Questionnaire A – first-time application, form number 105031W_A)

a written consent from your parents/custodians that you are allowed to study in Sweden if you are under 18 years of age (Consent for a child to settle in Sweden, form number 123011).

If permission is required from a central bank or equivalent to move money out of your country, you also need to enclose the relevant certificate.

If the application concerns language studies that are given as part of obtaining a Swedish professional certification, you must have a profession requiring a certificate or certificate of competence and be formally authorized to pursue this profession in Sweden after completing supplementary education.

If you are to attend supplementary studies in Sweden and are educated outside the EU/EEA, you must append a decision from the National Board of Health and Welfare regarding a review of your foreign education to your application. If you have an education from within the EU/EEA, you do not need such a decision from the National Board of Health, but you must be able to demonstrate that your professional qualifications are sufficient in your application for residence permit. Therefore, if you have an education from the EU/EEA, you must attach the following documents:

diploma of the education in the EU/EEA

a certificate not older than three months indicating that you have not been prohibited from exercising the profession, such as the Certificate of Good Standing or the Certificate of Current Professional Status

copy and translation of a certificate confirming that you comply with any of the Articles 23 or 24 of EU Directive 2005/36/EC.

Shorter processing time for complete applications

To enable the Migration Agency to make a decision on your case, all details must be complete and all the necessary documents must be enclosed. This means that the processing time is shorter if everything required is included from the start, rather than having to provide additional information afterwards.

Please note that the Migration Agency may in some cases need to investigate your application further, even if all details are complete and all documents are provided.

Time to a decision

To get an idea of how long you will need to wait for a decision, you can visit the site Time to a decision. Please note that the average time shown on the site is calculated on the basis of previous cases in the same category. The time may vary from one application to another.

Once we have received your appli­ca­tion

If you obtain a permit for more than three months, you will also receive a residence permit card. The card, which is proof that you have the right to be in Sweden, contains your photo and fingerprints.

If you need a visa for travel to Sweden, you should go to the embassy or consulate-general as soon as possible to have your picture and fingerprints taken. Not all embassies or consulates-general have the possibility to take your picture and your fingerprints. Contact the embassy or consulate-general before your visit for more information.

If you do not need a visa for travel to Sweden, you should visit the Migration Agency to be photographed and fingerprinted as soon as possible after your arrival in Sweden. However, your permit must be granted before you travel to Sweden.

Check if your application has been registered or if a decision has been made in your case

After the deci­sion has been made

The decision will be sent to the embassy or consulate-general you selected in your online application. Take your passport along when picking up your decision.

The Swedish embassy or consulate-general will hand over or send you the residence permit card as soon as it is ready. Don't forget that it might take up to four weeks to make and send the card to the embassy or consulate-general after you receive your decision. When you enter Sweden, you must show your residence permit card along with a valid passport.

If you do not need a visa for travel to Sweden, you should be able to show a copy of the decision when you enter Sweden. As soon as possible after you have arrived in Sweden, you should book an appointment to be fingerprinted and photographed. When your residence permit card is ready, it will be sent to your address in Sweden. It is therefore important that you can state your address in Sweden when you visit the Migration Agency to have your fingerprints and photograph taken.

The residence permit card will be produced at the time the decision is made, but no earlier than three months before the residence permit becomes valid. We cannot speed up the production or delivery of the card.

Check if your application has been registered or if a decision has been made in your case

Book an appointment at the Migration Agency in Sweden to be fingerprinted and photographed if you can travel without a visa

The permit vali­dity period

You can receive a residence permit for the time your studies require, but usually for a maximum total of one year’s time. Residence permits can never be granted for longer than the validity of your passport.

Exten­ding your permit

If you must extend your permit, you can apply online. You must apply for an extension before your current permit expires

How to apply

Enclose the following docu­ments with your appli­ca­tion:

Copies of the pages in your passport where your identity, citizenship and the period of validity are indicated. Your passport must be valid in order for the Migration Agency to be able to grant you a permit. If your passport is about to expire, you must apply for a new one in your home country or at your home country's embassy.

a certificate stating that you have been admitted to full-time study.

a document from the course organizer showing that you have made acceptable progress in your studies.

account statements from your bank that confirm that you have money to cover your living expenses. The account statement should be dated in conjunction with the application timing and be translated to English, ordocuments issued in your name that show that you have been granted a stipend/scholarship or the like (such as student finance) with information on the monthly amount or total amount and the period during which you will receive the money.

copy of the document that proves that you have comprehensive health insurance that is valid in Sweden. The insurance must be valid for the whole period that you will stay in Sweden, and must cover the costs for emergency and other medical care, dental care and hospitalization. The insurance must also cover the cost of a possible return journey home because of medical reasons.

a completed questionnaire (Appendix for application for residence permit for students and doctoral students. Questionnaire B – application for extension, form number 105031W_B)

a written consent from your parents/custodians that you are allowed to study in Sweden if you are under 18 years of age (Consent for a child to settle in Sweden, form number 123011).

When we have received your appli­ca­tion

If you have submitted an application for renewal before your previous permit expires, you have the right to remain in Sweden until the Migration Agency has made a decision.

If you travel abroad when your permit is about to expire, it may be difficult for you to enter Sweden before your new permit is granted. You may need to wait for a new decision outside Sweden.

If you are granted a permit, you will be given a residence permit card. The card is proof that you have permission to remain in Sweden and contains your fingerprints and a photo of you. You should, therefore, book a time to have your photograph and fingerprints taken as soon as possible. You need to do this even if you have had a residence permit previously, as your photograph and fingerprints cannot be saved.

After the deci­sion

The decision will be sent to your home address in Sweden. When the residence permit card is ready it will be sent to your home within approximately one week.

If the Migration Agency refuses your application

If the Migration Agency refuses your application, you can appeal the decision within three weeks from the date when you were informed of the decision. Your decision contains information about how to do so.

Due to planned maintenance, you cannot use our online services Sunday 7 June between 18.00 and 21.00.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

If you do not apply online

If you are not able to apply online, you must fill out the form Application for a residence permit for students – First-time applicants, number 113011, if you apply for the first time. If you are applying for an extension of your permit you must fill out form Application for a residence permit for students – Application to extend, number 115011.

Submit your application to a Swedish embassy or consulate-general in your country of residence. The application form specifies which documents to enclose. Contact the embassy or consulate-general before you submit your application.

If there is no possibility to submit an application in your country, you must apply at the embassy or consulate-general closest to your country of residence. Contact the embassy or consulate-general before you submit your application for further information.

If you are applying at an embassy or consulate-general, you pay the fee when you hand in your application. For more information about the fee, contact the embassy or consulate-general where you are applying, as they do not have the same fees and terms of payment as the Migration Agency.

Information for persons arriving in Sweden with a residence permit

Do not forget to save your residence permit decision. It will be useful when contacting various national authorities and organisations.